" Concepts of justice and the catalogue of punishments under the Sultans of Delhi (Tth-8th/13th—14th centuries) Blain Auer’ ings show ow that he mening of sis making ih he as of | Dist ak Baas Historians ofthe Doi Sultans, daring the T13th and St 4th centu- Fes, ntrwove themes of justice (a) and punishment (sas) to esit- ‘mate Muslim poicalaothorty. Justice was porvayed as a key component ‘kingship andthe foundation on which conceptions of Muslin ue were Dui” Punishment was equally central to representations of Mastin ‘uthoity established inthe Indi subcontinent wer the imperial aie (of the sults of Delhi. In the historiography of the period, justice and Punishment were depicted as owing frm swo distinct a ieally com: plementary stuctures of political power. One structre drew its egitimacy fiom ideas of pre-Islamic Persian kingship formalized in a set of rules, ‘known ae davai. These ules afford the sultan a wide rnge of sere tion in exccuing the prerogatives of his high office. A second steture ‘was but upon Islamic constructions of authority defined by shar, snd " Over Jizin's naraives of pnishment are very brit. Most rcounts of poishment ae depicted ambiguously the “exceutions” ‘of politic figures, soldiens and rebel, deaths which cccur more often in the context of «bate, For example, Juzjnt will requently sy they "tilled, lew" (bikushiand) him when tofering (othe death of an ind without giving specific dst sto the manner ofthe death Be it ummiry execution of death on the bate. Ths, due othe brevity of bis account is difficult io discer the exact reumstances of the death ‘A ease in point is “A-yi Marc, who was engusted with the “erown- tangs of Lakin” (namie Lakme) nthe service of Qa al-Din ‘Aybeg (: 602-711207-10). “Aly Mardin appets to have had a thst for great power, declaring himself Seltan soom after the death of Qutb tin Aybeg. To signify this he had the Fray prayer (ua) red in his name, JUpjn, who documented “Alryi Mardan's ascent to power ‘was cles not n favor of tls tu of events and reports tit he was Kile gata) and oppressor (ia) such that a group of Kha Yeaders (umard?) “killed” (bikusand) °Ale-yi Man (a 6091212) The lack Df dota in Jini'snaetve creat sporulation aboot this event. Based fn narrative cigs ts unikly tht “AR-yi Mardsn was forded judicial review. Could his be a example of an extrajudicial Kling or was there ‘te betcen the paris involved? The narrative elements do not make ify clear. Titer cass i is quit lar from the contest hat the historical nar frees to execution, even tho iis no explicitly sated. The ‘majority of these cases concern high oficial who rebelled agaist the Central eutority of thei day, or sultans themselves who were ove thrown and in thei removal from office, paid polities pic with heir lives For example, Jide atiibues the execution of Mubarak Skah, a “palace attendant” (ara) to Sian Mu'iz al-Din Babvim Shab (687-20/124-42}, 0 the poor advice he gave to the Sultan, advice that fanned the flames of a Budding and eventually sucessful revolt (fina) His execution, following te deposition ofthe Sultan, is eophemistclly refered 40 #8 martyrdom (shi gordanidond).® The sare isthe case ‘vith the exeeution of Sultan Maizy l-Din Baia Shah, who had been imprisoned (mugaysad Korda followin the rbelion against his rule fd then was “martyred” (chai shad) on the evening of 13 Du 8a (39/Thursday, 15 May 1242" ‘Other cases of execution following ebllion ae succinctly documented by Jj as wel For instance, Joan seers othe removal of dsb oficial Hike Malik Badr al-Din Sunga, tbe miliary chanbeeai (amir ‘id, and Ta a-Dia Misa te accountant general (musi mama) fvthey were “atest” (abs ari) and "mary (shad rd.” Inthe case ofthe excetion of Riya Sultan 684-7/1236-40) Jointemploys asin terry oral, "the myn he Sltan Rai cry tan Rad withthe see des ve. was cine een aa Sn Use desig mbigvous ase me sn dete bores Roya Sune ws imprisoned alter saan a he ference oie myrdon” ca oly dese her Sm ie nit ves a ber of spec nsance of exssions car sting cy Del Sst he does gon dtl eee ts excton of high ofc nthe can of malas te sedate we givens lta fee exons wee of aoe ec tan! et wth erat dit fps. However, Jat daar com the manner ofexcaons One might ste hs acu at tonto ove ile amd ave ste, ch i eee nding evento he rling dst However, the Lack Seb al mars tht aesorpan the ess forthe death penaky weet Sather of Sj, pe int he serve sci justice ‘sara under Mariza Bab Sih. 0 less On tesa so be won corny eyewies 1 ame of ime ad ndems hi dco oer he iinaey of ese Sens, bus speculation ‘ern th panishnens depict in er Sante isto phe rer elaborate anderen arava, This cold tou te naratve sevekpments in tsoriogrnhy of be eth SMES moved more ithe drecton of soni, and to TeeGate pe pose sore of he sans of eli were more aaa Fa pn of ime they covered This pricy re the Shanty of th Toph period as cxemplied inthe wings Teh arnt and Shams at Din SA (77/380 Whe a ey aa rcomipvos to hstagrahy, Bart and “AB ee i nivel apoach to iter. adopng a moe emPO- cies cd Umut ape othe cse of Bra is Te le Beret perge feeb lane of Det fom Gtk ata rane cd 9525687 othe th opal ear of Fitz Sh Taha aan semasicat), “AN Torikhy Fitz Shai, onthe ober andi «ere ems te pan Foss ely ah sero San Tuto, te tt set Stan of Delhi wo le Before che coer ae Tinaen S398, The erie tine frame allowed these ree ent rove mee dei ad 0 ad socal cormmenay fo ean wool nt ve eee mah ifr extent si “Vhs tad at om ante perspective, he arate deepens sn Sica morograpy concerning He eases for pushment, and in particular the death penalty, sgn an increased legalism, and thos ‘preoccupation with jriical processes, The dota accorded to narratives ‘Fpunishinent was an expression ofthe concen fo aw exited during the ltr Deh Suanat, I has been noted that Tughlog sultans greatly inereasd the patonage and development of legal writings” Zafrul Isa hs conuented thal "t may be sad wih certainty thatthe reign of the Tughli sullans (14th century a0.) formative period of the fh ‘erature in Indi." The inereasel concen and awareness n Teal mates ‘can ako be seen inthe monumental architsetre consruced doing. the eign ofthe Tughlog sults, OF prominent note was the Hawa Khass “Macaca pttonized by Fitz Shih snd consructed in 754/352" The ‘cancer fo the pronage of nslittons where legal mars wore studied ‘vas emphasized in the Mstoiopraphy af the period particulary depicting Fir Shs eters o build new and osor exising madrases. ‘The patronage of insituons where 1 was studied and practiced in poricuaiy relevant when one considers the respective roles ofthe ‘sutharity af the kg lation tthe parameters of shar. Bara ideal sable of insane religions andthe pital into a m of governance. This can be see parculaly in his view of the ery ealiphate of A. Baran report hte heard tht ding A's ‘aliphate the brthers of “Uhm, who had become the governors ofthe “provinces of Islan!” (mama itd), gave bith to “innovations” iat). Revoedng to Baran, “Al wanted 6 change those insovaons ‘ck no the "um (suman ofthe Prope” To this effect he "pt wath inte entra plas” an adorned” withthe “casos ofthe Prophet (nas Madama and the "ul of "Umar (ab "Umar “This ability to combine the “customs o the Propet wat the “rule ‘oF ‘Vina was cent inthe peoocion of story daring the ign of| Solan Firdz Shab" When discussing the transition from the reign of| Slt Mutammod b. Tughtag to that of Sullan Fis Shab, Barat lss The ules (davai thu were etablisied by Fe Sha hat wore meant tovaohieve that effet. Significantly, the ft noted by Baran that he shames pial punishment (tr sina whic had mulled in previous days ikely refering to Suan Mama b Tughhug) © The cond le abit) ws hat he aranged the econ fats ofthe state by developing lands for cultivation to draw revense from them. The tind ule was tha he established justice and bentieence (ad wasdn) "hroughout the kingdom” the case of Fiz Shi, the claim to have abolished sia during his ‘eign addin developing wn image of his leas boing fly based on Shara, As hs been con inthe ease of Muhanad b.Tughlug eransultans were depicted a ignoring the precepts of sharta. In const Tau was tue most successful in producing an image of himself as a a wo voted aconling to shar The thene of Fie Shs her aay pana is foe most prominent Unoughout “AQIS Tait inte Shahn chapter sateen ofthe ist book, A dedicates deus onc the rle of ve Shin elation shar, He says that in he ae Sra sutans the “Tas were nt measured (dnd ghar axis ad Tn contrast, “AGE tats that Satan Fz Shin th tine fh gn ade te shor f Muar sind okra) Mabon res Ata) foenest: Me plaid esc! mara) i the oe gan ah! eal of ree gett ce und roe reraved al a wax ola TGasmowtaop and be ico al a was wi Cour. Ewing te vitues of Fiz Shh, be refers 1o him as “Ye beacon of San ramsha kananda yi shar a) orhape Buz Shas sentiments toward punishment were an expres sionot be personal emperaient, or perhaps they were adeimonstaion of ‘Haptic acumen hat recognized the need to make a radical departure Tram te divisive polis of his predecessor, Muhammad b. Topblug. To ‘egy is ook he displayed is taste for aos panies in ne Tasrption that adorned the dome of the congregational moss im theety of Frorabad, constructed unde his peronsas” Following Snvo- ‘Many pratis for God andthe Prophet, Sultan Fiz Shih divas past gene there was a prevalence of coe pnisments thu contacted ‘et Specialy, be says that peopl a ed away From he ways are Sangh (ema un) ad tate saw Hts 2 dy (wai) {0 attely erste the fase customs that were gains hora (la Shon, Fist on his xt of inovations (bidet) to be extinguished ae pe ans sding, of Muslim bod. He wits, "In the past mast Metin blood than musa) wsed to be spit and many kinds of arene jab) were cred out. To great effect he provides engthy nd grocsme His: nay ec, ers an ones wee of yes wee gov ows en ed More TS conn pepe’ oats he boss Fhe bands ean het wee vrei skin was hort wh is als were iver. ino he retort chen Resh wt way, beatings wih scourge ke wih estas coppng oo fe and men mee 9” Sultan Frc Shab cams o have rejected these forms of panihner and shang severities ashaddada) abet fa) nt bene%e- sence teh Kindness aro) and ding good san with vine gra (ul tak, Foe Pave Sha dis mean tha those who deat from the path ofthe shart (a shar") wil receive thee de according 1 rule ft the Quran ud ia) ad the judgment of the qa ay gd. ‘This was a significant clim fra stan, which represented un atm to delegate mater of sharia the cot of judges On 2 governmental Tevet itrvas an abdication of his personal authority nan ae tt had proven troublesome for both sultans and sols. Conclusion 1 has been seen inthe procoding discussion that boundaries between religious and poliealleptinaey were in Hux thoughout the 7h ad ‘Si 3thand 14th centuries in Nontem India nan age hats te Des Salanate expand is rule to acarly the eae Indian subeowtinent, the ‘Sources fr leptinaey were deeply contested in historical writings and were puticularly acute in aratives highlighting the justice and punish tment of kings. Historical parative of the sulla’ punishments reves 8 Structural dilemma in the Ietimacy of the Delhi Sultanate. The question ‘of wha has the aithorty (0 ise the wlimate form of purishment he ‘eath pony, and in what eases for which exes, lays hae the inher ‘ent enon and ambiguity te structures of power. Narratives of puns ‘ment from the period show tht the boundaries of sani authoiy were ‘etermined to an extent by ition snd theoretical cures, Bt a0 by the sheer power of th office af the sultan. While sara was integral to judicial ystems necessary for te prope fanctioning ofthe Sultanate it "oo inrsaton tothe exettive boty of the sultan who, within loose limits, was eapable of enacting laws ouside of shar’ bat leptin oo the modo of pre-Islamic Pesan Kings. Notes 1. A Lamblo's arco juice at Rng dev Min pol Gey «good see a he op. Laren ives examples or ‘ns of pial thor tht alin four general eters el Wark, “auntie anos, morons nd poopie wank. See INKS. Lambo in she Medieval Theory of Pein Kings." 17962), 90-10 2, Mj Muara Shri, "Te Sion od the “Un i the Takish Salant of Det (1206-181). gb 13.8 (1968), 1638, 3, Berman Lami Sis" inn Que ofan sale Hamann: Arabic and Isami Ste in ry of thane Nova Ars Geo (Caio: Ameren Univer i Clo Press, 1984), 6. The quote ken